Reykjavík Grapevine - nov. 2021, Side 14

14The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11— 2021
As the cold starts seeping into
your bones here in the north, sau-
nas come in handy. The Grapevine
crew tested out five of the warmest
saunas in the capital area and gath-
ered all the important information
about them for you. Note: the crew
includes notoriously sauna-loving
Finns, so you’re in good hands.

Laugarvatn Fontana
Hverabraut 1, Laugarvatn
The hour-long drive from down-
town Reykjavík to Laugarvatn Fon-
tana, dotted with striking vistas
and a never-ceasing sense of seren-
ity, is the perfect urban cleanse.
Once you arrive, this beloved spa is
ready to wash away any remaining
woes. The environment begs you to
make the experience your own, with
relaxation pools at varying temper-
atures, a steam bath and a Finnish-
style sauna. What sets this place
apart, however, is the opportunity
to take a cool dip in the adjacent
lake. If you’re feeling peckish from
the drive, book the Bread Tour—a
charming lake-side lesson in geo-
thermal baking that ends with all
the samples of rye bread you could
dream of. DT
Sky Lagoon
Vesturvör 44-48, Kópavogur
Sky Lagoon has been the talk of the
town since its opening earlier this
year. Although new, Iceland’s fresh-
est geothermal spa runs like they’ve
been at this for decades. Wading in
and out of the coves, you’ll eventu-
ally come across the swim-up bar
with sparkling wine (among other
things!) on draft. The sauna, step
three of the seven-step Sky Ritual,
is spacious and offers a stunning
view that—when paired with the
heat—is hypnotising. For supreme
tranquility, go during a quieter
time of day and you may even have
this little pocket of paradise all to
yourself. DT
Vesturbæjarlaug
Hofsvallagata 107, Reykjavík
Are you longing for a sauna expe-
rience, but don’t necessarily want
to go to the pool area? In that case,
Vesturbæjarlaug is the place to be.
They have separate saunas for both
men and women inside the chang-
ing areas, which enables the biggest
sauna-fans to enjoy the warmth
without stepping outside the locker
room. When the heat is getting too
intense, there’s always a possibil-
ity of plunging into the cold pot to
cool down. Also, because the saunas
are same-sex only, it allows people
to enjoy them in the nude—as one
should! Just remember to bring a
towel to sit on, if you want the au-
thentic experience. RH
Rjúkandi Fargufa
Address varies
When it comes to the best löyly (the
steam that rises from the sauna
stove), the insuperable winner
is this trailer sauna. The stove is
flame-heated, making the steam
extremely mellow. What’s special
about Rjúkandi Fargufa is that it
comes with a sauna master, who
leads the session. The session in-
cludes music, essential oils and a
whole lot of löyly. After the guests
are warm to their core, it’s time to
dip in the sea. This ritual is repeated
three times, and the session itself
takes about an hour in total. How-
ever, the euphoric feeling you’ll ex-
perience lasts much longer. RH
Sundhöllin
Barónsstígur 45a, Reykjavík
Sundhöllin’s sauna might be small
in size, but it’s big in heat. Hidden
upstairs from the public swimming
pool, this compact gem offers an
intense sauna-experience. Unlike
many other saunas in the area,
Sundhöllin has equipped their
sauna with a water bucket—an ac-
cessory which every sauna should
include. This means that the visi-
tors are able to control the heat
themselves by throwing water onto
the sauna stove. As stated in the be-
ginning, this sauna is tiny and you
might need to be seated in some-
one’s lap, but the more the merrier,
right? RH
A reflective moment
Best of Reykjavík
“The session
includes
music,
essential
oils and a
whole lot of
löyly.”
Fi!ht The Cold With Heat
A guide to the top five saunas around Reykjavík
Words: Reetta Huhta & Desirai Thompson Photos: Art Bicnick & Vala Baldursdóttir
Storytelling is probably the most
important cultural tradition in
Iceland and a lot of its places
have enthralling tales to tell.
This book is a round trip around
the country, with thirty stops at
such places along the way.
A LITERARY
TOUR
AROUND
ICELAND
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